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US4591810A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pulse width modulator for electronic watthour metering

Assignee: ABB Inc USA
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Filing: 1984-03-19
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Granted: 1986-05-27
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Expires: 2004-03-19
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Abstract

Abstract A pulse width modulator for an electronic kilowatt-hour meter includes an integrator having its inputs connected to a square wave clock signal and a sine wave signal proportional to the time derivative of current on the metered circuit. A plurality of series-connected inverters are connected to the output of the integrator to function as a comparator which generates a pulse width modulated signal having a duty cycle proportional to metered current. A negative feedback path including a low pass filter is connected between the output of the last inverter and an input to the integrator to compensate for errors produced by the integrator and inverters, thus permitting the use of low cost inverters fabricated on an integrated circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Raymond W. MacKenzie
  • 👤 Theodore M. Heinrich

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 14:22
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K7/00; H03K7/08; G; G05; G05F; G05F1/00; G05F1/10; G05F1/46; G05F1/56; G05F1/577; G05F1/585

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 161 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus comprising: means for providing a first signal having a triangular waveform; means for providing a second signal proportional to a quantity being measured; summing means for providing a summation signal proportional to the instantaneous sum of said first and second signals; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said summing means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of said first signal in the absence of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said summing means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said summing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 161 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus comprising: means for providing a first signal having a triangular waveform; means for providing a second signal proportional to a quantity being measured; summing means for providing a summation signal proportional to the instantaneous sum of said first and second signals; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said summing means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of said first signal in the absence of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said summing means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said summing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 180 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus comprising: means for providing a first signal having a square waveform; means for providing a second signal proportional to a time derivative of a quantity being measured; summing means for providing a summation signal proportional to the instantaneous sum of said first and second signals; means for integrating said summation signal; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said integrating means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of the integral of said first signal in the absence of the integral of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to the integral of said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said integrating means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said integrating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 180 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus comprising: means for providing a first signal having a square waveform; means for providing a second signal proportional to a time derivative of a quantity being measured; summing means for providing a summation signal proportional to the instantaneous sum of said first and second signals; means for integrating said summation signal; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said integrating means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of the integral of said first signal in the absence of the integral of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to the integral of said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said integrating means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said integrating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 149 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus, comprising: means for providing a summation signal, said summation signal comprising a first signal having a triangular waveform and a second signal being proportional to a quantity being measured; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said providing means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of said first signal in the absence of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said providing means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said providing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 149 words
Pulse width modulator apparatus, comprising: means for providing a summation signal, said summation signal comprising a first signal having a triangular waveform and a second signal being proportional to a quantity being measured; a plurality of series-connected inverters having an input connected to the output of said providing means, the first of said plurality of inverters being biased so as to switch its output state approximately at the midpoint of said first signal in the absence of said second signal, the output of the last of said plurality of inverters providing a pulse signal having a duty cycle proportional to said second signal; negative feedback means for connecting a portion of the signal present at said inverter output to said providing means; and a low pass filter connected in series with said feedback means such that only DC components of said output signal are provided to said providing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: said first signal is formed by integrating a square waveform; and said second signal is formed by integrating a waveform that is proportional to a time derivative of said quantity being measured.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: said summation signal is formed by integrating a waveform that is the sum of a square waveform and a sinusoidal waveform, said sinusoidal waveform being proportional to a time derivative of said quantity being measured.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: said providing means comprises an operational amplifier configured as an integrator.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4315212A Cited
US4182983A Cited
US4368424A Cited
US4250552A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-05-26 1989-11-25 1990-05-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-05-26 1993-11-25 1994-05-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-05-26 1997-11-25 1998-05-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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